Published by By the time this is published, the Ramadan month for the Muslims must be over. Thus, this article is — well — just a mere rejoinder.
Ramadan features the month-long fasting of the Muslims. They would begin their day with an early morning breaking of fast, at around 4:30 am. Then, the Muslims will not not take food and drinks during the day until they break their fast at around 7:00 pm. Thus, their fast consists literally of having neither food nor drink for more or less fifteen hours. And this is for 30 days!
Catholics are mandated to fast on only two days in a year — during the Ash Wednesday, which ushers in the season of Lent, and on Good Friday. Traditionally, Fridays for Catholics are days of fasting too. But, now on Fridays, Catholics are simply enjoined to fast; and if they cannot fast for whatever reason, at least they do corporal or spiritual works of mercy. Fasting for Catholics consists in just one full meal for the day. There is no mention that a Catholic may not drink water.
Both religions are giving some elbow room for those who cannot fast. Those who are too young or too old to fast may not fast, and those who are taking medication or sick may not join the practice.
For Catholics, fasting is done in the context of prayer — at least, that is how it is supposed to be done. For if one does not, then he is not fasting but only is in diet or simply depriving oneself of food. The pain of fasting — i.e., the hunger — is said to be redemptive, especially if it is done in union with the redemptive pains of Jesus on the cross.
Muslims likewise do not lose sight of the spiritual in what they do. This is even made manifest in their practice of “balik kampong”. What is “balik kampong”? At the surface level, it is when Muslims would troop to their homes, or to their villages for the celebration of the Hari Raya (literally, the Great Day. It marks the end of the Ramadan). What is the underlying meaning of “balik kampong”? Well, according to sources, it is akin to “going home” in a mystical sense to their roots. On multiple layers of meaning, it is going home to their original state of sinlessness; and it is going home to their families, to see their parents and relatives. And, in more practical sense, it is going home to their respective “kampung” to talk about how green is the pasture beyond the confines of their villages.
In both religions, too — sadly — the mystical or spiritual side of their fasting practices are very often lost.
As a closing, we may also note the economic or business/trade repercussions of these fasting practices. In Christian countries, fast foods on days of mandatory fasting have already started offering substitutes to their meat ingredients to their foodstuff. On Ash Wednesdays and Good Fridays and even during the entire duration of Lent, hamburgers are replaced by tuna burgers and meat slices are substituted by fish fillets.
In Islamic states, the Muslim owned restaurants do not sell food on fasting hours. They open shops at around 4:00 pm to start selling foodstuff for their own people’s breaking of fast at around 7:00pm. The food is cheaper as usual, and has more variety.
Fasting is supposed to be a spiritual practice. It is said to be beneficial as well for the physical well-being of a person if properly done otherwise its effect is very harmful. But I think with the kind of eating habits most of the people have nowadays, correct and true fasting is not achieved but its only a “show of compliance” for the religious rites. But do they really get the results of fasting as they are doing today? Or they are just trying to convince themselves that they have its benefits?
I like what you see…. hopefully, people will be aware of this.
Yup, Heaven. I also hope people will be more discerning. You see, one time I was talking to a rather old folk. I made mention about the spiritual root of balik kampong. I was dead surprised! He said he was not aware of it, and even rebutted me. He was telling me, it was an altogether secular affair. Huh!!!!
Fasting is just a usual rite to show that we complied with the religious practices. What if, one did not fast during that fasting seasons? He/she should be severely punished. I’m practicing that religious rite but not as deep as what others belief.